Brazil.There's a song called, "Where do the children play?", sung by the singer then called Cat Stevens before he converted to Islam and changed his name.Look it p on YouTube to hear it,It's based on a true incident that occurred when the then newly built capitol of Brazillia was being proudly shown by the government to a host of foreign dignitaries as the new capitol of Brazil.They proudly showed the new business offices, the new shopping malls, and even the gleaming new school buildings for the children.One of the people being shown the new city was a women; the then minister of children's affairs.She asked the government spokesmen this question:She said, "I've seen the shopping malls, the office buildings, and even your schools. There all very impressive. But I haven't seen any playgrounds in the schoolsBut what I don't see is any playgrounds in those new schools for the children that go there.So, please tell me, where do the children play?"

She was right, there where no playgrounds for the students to play in those schools..The government that built those shiny new schools hadn't thought about the children needing a place to play.

It wasn't in their planning.They never considered such a thing then.Now Brazil is planning for an Olympics next year with millions of visitors expected for that Olympic spectacle.But the road system to get those visitors there is already poor and overloaded.And they didn't allocate any money to improve it for the tourist crowds expected for the Olympics.

So the same question can be asked now,"Tell me, where do your children play?"

Shame on you Shakyamuni for setting the precedent of leaving home.Did you think it was not there-- in your wife's lovely face in your baby's laughter?Did you think you had to go elsewhere (simply) to find it? from - Judyth Collin The Layman's Lament From What Book, 1998, p. 52 Edited by Gary Gach